munsie



2 Shets-$heet I.

Patented Feb. 28, I899.

III

IIIIIIII;;IIIIIIIIIII J. F. MUNSIE.

' ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application filed Feb. 25, 1898.)

' (No Model.)

INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES; 491? No. 620,549. Patented Feb. 28, I899.

J. F. MUNSIE.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

(Application filed Feb. 25, 1898 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

ATTORNEY- NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMESF. MUNSIE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS L.COLES.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,549, dated February28, 1899.

Application filed February 25,1898. Serial No. 671,552. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES F. MUNSIE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of New York, (Brooklyn,) county of Kings, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricRailways, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electric railways, and particularly to that typeof railway system in which current is supplied to the car or othermoving vehicle at determinate points or spots where contact is made withsaid conductor through protected devices arranged along the track with acurrent-collector carried by the vehicle.

In carrying out the invention I provide along the line of way a groovedconductor laid between the rails and provide at intervals less than thelength of the car or than the collector or shoe carried by the carcircuit-controlling boxes provided with a circuit-closer mounted infixed guides and adapted to be depressed by the collector secured to thecar and which when actuated closes the circuit within a chamberprotected from the weather and from moisture between the undergroundsupply-conductor and the collector on the car.

The features of novelty of my invention refer more particularly to thatpart of the supply system which comprises the grooved guide bar or railplaced between the trackrails and the circuit-controlling boxes arrangedat determinate points along said guiderail. They will be moreparticularly hereinafter described and will be definitely indicated intheclaims appended to this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, Figure 1is a sectional view transversely of the track of one of thecontact-boxes distributed along the line of way. Fig. 2 is a sectionalview of one of the boxes on a plane longitudinally of the track. Fig. 3is a transverse sectional View of the guide-rail and part of thestringer on which it is mounted on a plane between the contact-boxes.Fig. 4 is a plan View of the collector-guide and shoes and of theguide-rail which controls its relation to the grooved rail. Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the stringer and a contact-box mounted thereon,looking in a direction transverse to the track, the cross ties beingshown in section. Fig. 6 is a lon gitudinal sectional view on a medianplane passing through two contact-boxes, the collector carried by thecar being shown in ele= vation.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a stringer mounted on thecross-ties, preferably midway between the rails and extending along theline of the railway-track. On this stringer is mounted a series ofgrooved rails 2, provided with wide flanges, as indicated in Fig. 3,firmly secured to the stringers 1. At points about sixteen feet apart orother suit able distances'to cooperate with a collector 4, (see Fig. 6,)carried by the traveling vehicle or cars, are mounted contact-boxes 5.boxes are spaced and the rail lengths determined so that thecar-collector may bridge two contact devices. The successive groovedrails 2 are insulated from one another, as indicated in Figs. 4, 5, and6, where an air-gap is shown between successive rails. The contact-boxes5 are supported by a casting in the form of a hooded yoke, the flanges 6of which are secured to adjacent cross-ties. From the upper part or hoodof these yokes extends a square tube 7, the top of which is slotted, asat 8, to form a continuation of the groove in the middle rail of thesupply system. The contact-box 5 is bolted or otherwise secured to thehooded yoke, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4, and may be suitably packedto exclude the entrance of air or water from beneath. Within the squaretube 7 operates a springpressed plunger 9, the top of which is squaredto form a snug sliding fit with the inside of the tube 7. The lower partof the plunger enters the contact-box, passing through a stuffing-box10, and is provided with a stoppin 11 to limit its upward movement.Secured to the plungeris a circuit-closing spring formed ofphosphor-bronze or other good conductor, as 12, (see Fig. 1,) which whenthe plunger is depressed is brought into contact with an insulatedsupply-conductor 13, led through the walls of the contact-box and laidbare at a point beneath the contact-spring 12 to admit of a closing ofthe circuit at that point when the plunger is depressed. In the slot inthe top of the squared end of the plum- The ger is mounted a roller 14:,said roller projecting a short distance above the level of the bottom ofthe grooved rail 2. The collector blade :L, mounted on the car, may beof any approved construction. I provide it prefer: ably withwearing-shoes 15 16, two sets of which are secured to each collector andwhich bear continuously upon the flanges of the grooved rail 2 and serveto preserve a uniform relation of the collector-blade with respect tothe grooved rail.

The operation of the system is as follows: The conductor '13 extendsthroughout the system and is thoroughly insulated at all points exceptwhere designed to make contact with the spring in the contact-boxes. Asthe car proceeds over the line of way the collectorblade 4 is always incontact with at least one contact-box, in which it depresses the groovedroller mounted in the top of the plunger and brings the contact-springinto engagement with the supply-conductor. The collector and the railsupon which it bears are thereby rendered live with current which istaken from all points of contact on the wearing-shoes and rollers, andthe motor in the vehicle is thereby supplied with current which may beled back to the supply-generator by the trackrails. Each contact-box isprovided with a hinged cover 17, below the hinge of which is an oil-cup18, in which a layer of oil may be provided to exclude the entrance ofmoisture. Below this hinged cover is an auxiliary cover 19, and betweenthe two covers I preferably provide a lining of some waterproofmaterial-such, for example, as tallowto thoroughly exclude water.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A supply system for electric railways comprising a series ofwater-tight contactboxes mounted along the track and provided with anelastically-yielding vertical plunger extending into the box through awater-tight joint, a circuit-closer within each box adapted to cooperatewith an insulated conductor traversing the system and extending from boxto box, said plunger being provided with means for preventing it fromturning on its axis and with a roller at its top projecting into agrooved guide-rail for a collector carried by the car.

2. A supply system for an electric railway comprising a hooded yoke, awater-tight box supported thereby, a circuit-closing device extendinginto the box, a grooved collectorguide between successive boxes adaptedto lead a current-collector carried by a car into mechanical engagementwith the circuit-closin g device, and a spring-actuated plungerprojecting vertically into the grooved guide and cooperating with thecircuit-closing device.

3. An electric-railway system comprising a grooved rail extending alongthe line of way and provided with flanges, a collector carried by thetraveling vehicle adapted to traverse the groove, and wearing-shoes onsaid collector-rail adapted to engage the flanges.

4. In an electric-railway system a series of grooved rails adapted tocooperate with a collector carried by the traveling vehicle, each railbeing in electric connection with a circuit-closer operated by thecollector the several grooved rails being insulated from one another.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day ofFebruary, A. D1898.

7 JAMES F. M-UNSIE.

IVitnesses ROBT. H. READ,

ELIZABETH EWING.

